Saturday, July 27, 2024 Dates EQE 2026 have been published

The dates of the EQE 2026 papers -a mix of “old” and “new” EQE papers, have been published on the EQE website as "Dates for the EQE 2026":

The scheduling of D and M2 on the same date suggests that Art. 27(2)(c) New REE ("(c) For the 2026 examination only, candidates may choose to sit part 1 of paper D under the Regulation of 2009 instead of paper M2.") is implemented by offering the same paper as the D1 paper (Rule 26(1)-(2) Old IPREE) and the M2 paper (Rule 24 New IPREE).

Friday, July 05, 2024 EPO-epi publication "EQE Guide for preparation" (June 2024) available

The EQE Guide for preparation, June 2024, is available on the EPO website since yesterday (here).

This guide is prepared by the EPO in cooperation with epi. This publication on the new EQE is oriented towards candidates, providing information and advice on how to prepare for papers F to M4 over three years, building on the guiding principles that govern the new EQE. It informs candidates about how to prepare in general by providing a thorough understanding of the EQE format; tips on the best order in which to tackle the subject matter; an indication of how much time may be required for each step; and lists of other training material and courses (our courses here).

Note that the guide indicates on page 3: "Written to support preparation for the EQE, it does not represent the views of the EQE Supervisory Board, Examination Board or any of the committees. Please also note that the guide does not replace official publications relating to EQE regulations like the REE and the IPREE."

For more information:

• EQE website
• the REE and IPREE for the New EQE (OJ Suppl 3/2024)
• Our earlier blogs on the New EQE: here, here, and here
• Information from epi: "Navigating the EQE format changes with epi"
• Our courses are listed and described on our EQE course overview page;
• Our training material is available from our webshop (e.g., L-book, D-book, Topic-Related Index, References to the EPC, Cross-Referenced PCT)

Photo from the EPO webpage on the EQE Guide (no changes made).

Monday, July 01, 2024 EQE 2024 main exam papers are out (in the EQC Portal)!

The EQE 2024 results are available in the EQC Portal since the second half of this morning.

Congratulations to all that passed one or more papers!

The Examiners' Reports are not yet available (@11:30), but are usually published on the same day or the next.
Update: The Examiners' Reports became available later on the day on the EQE Compendium webpages\

Update: the Statistics were published in the middle of July: see here.

Wednesday, June 26, 2024 REMINDER: EQE 2024 results will be available in July 2024

As candidates keep asking when the results come out, please refer to our earlier blog post of Wednesday, October 11, 2023, "EQE 2024: results will be available in July 2024" (link).

We do not have more detailed information, so it may be early, mid or late July.

Update 1 July 11:34: I just received several emails from candidates informing me that the EQE 2024 results are now available in the EQC Portal . Congratulations to all that passed one or more papers!

Monday, April 29, 2024 2024 editions of "Topic-Related Index to the EPC and PCT" and "The Cross-Referenced PCT"

The 2024 editions of the books "Topic-Related Index to the EPC and PCT – Quick Reference for Daily Practice, EQE and EPAC" (T-RI) and "The Cross-Referenced Patent Cooperation Treaty" (Xref-PCT), by Cees Mulder and me, are now available from the DeltaPatents' webshop.

Both books have been updated taking account of the latest developments in the law. The T-RI book was already extended with references to the main provisions relating to the European patent with unitary effect (‘Unitary Patent’) and the Unified Patent Court in the 2023 edition, and has now been further extended with references to the Regulation on Discipline and epi's Code of Conduct have been added in view of changes made to the syllabus for the main exam paper of the New EQE.

Special offer: 20% off the total price when buying both books in a single purchase! 

For more information and ordering: DeltaPatents' webshop.

Monday, March 11, 2024 Information on the enrolment for A, B, C and D papers at the EQEs 2025 and 2026 - effects of introduction of New EQE

Today, the Examination Secretariat published a Notice with information on the enrolment for the EQEs 2025 and 2026.

Friday, March 01, 2024 Good luck to all EQE 2024 main exam and Pre-Exam candidates!

  

We wish all candidates that will sit one or more EQE papers in the next two weeks good luck / bonne chance / gute Fahrt!

Our EQE blogs will be open for your comments and opinions w.r.t. papers A, B, C and D main exam and the Pre-Exam paper immediately after the respective exam. We aim to post our (provisional) answers to the various papers in separate blog posts shortly after we have received copies of the exam papers. 

Do not post any comments as to the merits of the answers of a certain exam paper/flow on the blogs while an exam/flow is still ongoing. Also, do not post the invigilator password or anything else that may be considered a breach of the exam regulations, instructions to the candidates, code of conducts, etc (see, e.g.,  EQE website, MyEQE, and anyemails from the EQE secretariat).

If you experience any technical difficulties during the exam, despite having tested all in advance and having participated in the technical tests, and want to file a complaint concerning the conduct of the exam: Be reminded that candidates wishing to lodge a complaint concerning the conduct of the exam (pursuant to point I.8. of the Instructions to candidates concerning the conduct of the examination) must do so at the latest by the end of the day on which the paper concerned takes place (pursuant said point I,.8), by filling in the dedicated form on the EPO website. The respective complaints forms are only available until 23:59 CET of the date of the paper concerned.
(Note that you may have more time to file complaints in relation to a main exam paper, as today, 1 March 2024, the EQE Online section on the EQE webpage says "Candidates wishing to lodge a complaint pursuant to point I.8. of the Instructions to candidates concerning the conduct of the examination must do so at the latest by the end of the day on which the last examination paper takes place (15 March 2024, 23:59 CET)", which is different from what point I.8. of the Instructions to candidates concerning the conduct of the examination dd December 2023, available on the same webpage, says: "Candidates wishing to lodge a complaint concerning the conduct of the examination must do so at the latest by the end of the day on which the paper concerned takes place, by filling in the dedicated form made available by the Examination Secretariat.")